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(No Model.) 4She etsSheet 1.

t E. B. BENHAM. -MULTIPLB CYLINDER MOTOR.

No. 459,736. Patented Sept-22, 1891.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

E. B. BENHAM. MULTIPLE CYLINDER MOTOR.

No. 459,736. Patented Sept. 22,1891.

} (No Model.)

MULTIPLE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

NHA INDER' OR.

Patented Sept. 22, 1891.

4 M e h s F M e h S 4 M A H N E B B H .Mh. d o M o W MULTIPLE GYLINDER MOTOR.

. Patented Sept. 22, 1891.

m: roams PETERS cm, PnoYo-lrmm, wlsmurmu a c UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

ELIJAH B. BENHAM, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE' ISLAND.

MULTIPLE-CYLINDER MOTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 459,736, dated September 22, 1891.

Application filed January 19,1891- Serial No. 378,236. (No model.)

To all whom, zlfmay concern:

Be it known that I, ELIJAH B. BENHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented new and useful Improvements in Multiple-Cylinder Motors, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to motors, whether to be operated through the agency of steam, hydraulics, compressed air, or other motorfluid, which are of the multiple-cylinder class.

The object of the invention is to provide a motor of the class mentioned which is of very simple construction and effective in operation; and the invention consists in the construction and combination of parts, all substantially as will hereinafter more fully appear and be set forth in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improved multiple-cylinder motorwith the valvecase removed from the valve-box, showing the valve in end view. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of as much of the motor as is comprised in Fig; 1, with a portion of the valvebox in vertical section, showing the valve therein in side view. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section of the motor from front to rear on a much enlarged scale. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the valve. Fig. 5 is a vertical section across the valve and valve-box on the line 5 5, Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a vertical section on the motor-head, as indicated by the line 6 6, Fig. 3. Fig.7 is aview in the nature of a diagram to indicate the disposition of valve-ports in relation to cylinder-ports to illustrate the entrance of effective pressure to certain of the ports and the exhaust from other of the ports. Fig. 8 is a view in the nature of a diagram, showing geared parts as seen on the plane indicated by the line 8 8, Fig. 3, and the arrangement of the multiple-cylinder pistons and their pitmen at one instant in the running of the motor.

In an application for patent filed by me under date of September 10, 1888, Serial No. 285,7 7 4, I have illustrated a multiple-cylinder motor in which many parts are constructed substantially as I have constructed parts of the present motor, and as in the m0- tor described in the specification forming part of said application the cylinder com prises an annular body 16, cast with the cylinders 17, extending radially from said body. The outer ends of the cylinders are flanged or otherwise formed to receive the closing plates or heads 19. Suitable supporting-feet are also cast on said head. On the rear side of the motor-head an inclosing disk 23 is bolted, having a hub or bearing for the support of the main driving and crank shaft 25, and the valve-box 26 is similarly secured on the front side of the motor-head. The valvebox is of cylindrical form, having atits inner end an integrally-cast disk or web wall I d entirely closing such end, except so far as the axial opening at and radial passages 27 form openings therefrom, which radial pas sages at their inner ends, or ends toward the axis of the cylinder-head, terminate ,in ports a, opening to the front side of said disk-wall (I, said ports being arranged in a circle concentric with the axial line of the motor-head and box, and the said radial passages at theirouter ends terminate in ports 0, (see Fig. 3,) concentrically disposed, opening to the rear side of said disk-wall, and when the valve-box is in place they register with the inner end openings or ports f at the front side of the cylinder-head of radial passages 28 in said head at the front side of the cylinders thereof, said passages 28 at their outer ends opening inwardly to the interior of the cylinders at or near the outer ends of the cylinderchambers, and when the motor parts are assembled the said passages 27 and 28 form continuous radial passages from the pressurechamber in the valve-box to the ends of the cylinder-chambers, said pressu re-chamber being indicated by the enlarged annular space 30 at the inner end of the valve-box,

Another similar enlarged annular space is shown near the outer end of the valve-box, which is the exhaust-chamber, and suitable passages (not shown in the present drawings, but which may be such as those clearlyillustrated in the drawings of the aforementioned specification and drawings) are provided to lead, respectively, to the pressure-chamber 30 and from the exhaust-chamber 31 and constitute the inlet or pressure passage and the exhaust-passage The valve-case 3% is in the form of a cylindrical shelland is fitted within the extended cylindrical portion of the valve box,its innerend beingextended to or nearly to the pressure-chamber 30 and suitably packed, and at its outer end it is provided with a closing head and is also flanged to overlie the end of the valve-box, bolts 35 passing through said flange into the end of said box, maintaining the said valve-case immovably in place.

The parts which have now been described as above are those mentioned which in this motor are substantially the same as in the one embodied in the said specification. And now with respect to the features of novelty in the present motor, A represents the valve, which is of a general cylindrical form and hollow andhaving a central longitudinal or axial shaft or spindle 1) extending forwardly and rearwardly of the valve-body and having a bearing by its forward extension through the openingw in the closing disk-wall (Z of the valve-box and projecting into the annular space in the motorhead within the inner ends of the radial cylinders, said spindle by its rear extension having a support in the bearing 50, formed in the head 40 of the valvecase. Said valve at its forward end has a closing wall 52, which is projected in or by the surrounding flange m outwardly beyond the periphery of the valve-body, and when applied in the motor said end wall is adapted to bear upon the said disk-wa1l (lot the valvebox. The valve-body at its rear end is open, as shown at 5%. There are a number of ports in the valve through the said flangewall at the front end thereof, which ports are arranged in a circle corresponding as to diameter and circumference to the circle in which the cylinderports are arranged, and a half of said ports are pressure-ports, while the other half are exhaust-ports. The alternate ports 1), which are pressure-ports, are merely openings exten ding th rough from front to rear of the flange-wall, while the relatively intermediate ports 6 are exhaust-ports, and at the forward sid e of said flan ge-wall, through which wall said ports 6 are also continued, the said ports e are housed in by the inclosing walls 55, whereby said ports are shut out from communication with the pressure-chamber 30, (with which pressure-chamber the pressureports 2) freely communicate,) and yet said inclosed exhaust-ports each have communication, as shown at 56, Fig. 3, and in Figs. 5 and 7, with the annular chamberin the valve, which chamber, as already stated, is in free communication with the exhaust chamber 31 in the valve-box, intermediate openings 57 being provided through the valve-case. There is to be such a number of pressureports in the valve in relation to the number of cylinder-ports a that when one or more of said pressure-ports, either as to the whole or a portion of the area thereof, are opposite or register with ports a, which are at one side of the circle in which such ports are arranged, the valve-pressure ports at the other side of the valve will be intermediately of the cylinder-ports at the other side of the circle, and one or more of the exhaust-ports at this latter or other side of the valve will register with cylinder-ports, while the exhaust-ports at the side of the valve first mentioned (as having its pressure-ports registering with cylinder-ports) lie between cylinder-ports a. In the motor here illustrated are shown eight cylinder-ports regularly distanced in circular arrangement, and in the valve (in a circle corresponding to the one in which the cylinderports are arranged) are nine pressure-ports, and alternately or intermediately thereof are the exhaust-ports, also nine in number.

Reference is to be had to Fig. 7. The dot.- ted circles, particularly indicated in this view by a (1 &c., to a represent the cylinderports, while the circles particularly indicated by p 19 &c., to 12 represent the pressureports in the valve, and the circles here particularly indicated by 6 e &c., to e" repre sent the exhaust-ports. The valve is assumed to have a regular rotation in the direction of the arrows, and it will be seen that cylinderport a is taking pressure through port 1) in an increasing extent, a is receiving its 1naximum of effective pressure through valve-port p, and the port a is taking pressure through the valve-port in a decreasing extent. The pistons in the cylinders to which the ports a a a lead are at this time being operated by the effective pressure admitted thereagainst. Pressure has been admitted to port and has just been cut off, the piston corresponding to a having done its work and its cylinder is just about to exhaust and cylinder-port (t is just about to take pressure, its piston atsuch time being in its outermost disposition and ready to be driven inwardly. It will also be seen that port a, having had its pressure through 13 is now beginning to exhaust through e" 13 has passed sufliciently far past a, so that the full area of exhaustport 6 is over a and the pressure received through c from p", which has passed by and cut off, has nearly exhausted through 6. Of course as the cylinders at one side of the motor receive effective pressure the pistons therein are inwardly driven to exert its effect on the crank, as usual in this class of motors, while the effective pressure in cylinders at the other side of the motor-l1ead,which pressure is exhausting, permits, through the connection of the crank with the pistons in said exhausting-cylinders, the said pistons to be moved outwardly to assume proper positions to again receive driving movements under pressure; and of course it will be understood that in the rotation of the valve constantlyvarying combinations are made by pressure and exhaust valve ports registering with cylinder-ports 0f the motor-head at relatively opposite sides thereof, all whereby sets of the multiple pistons will properly and successively act against the crank to secure its rotation, and while the valve is being moved around so that, say, the pressure-port 19 moves so far from cylinder-port a as to bring it opposite a there will have been such a number of registering-port combinations formed and cut out for pressure and exhaust that all the pistons will have made their one back-andforth stroke and secured one rotation of the crank and the shaft 25. Of course the valve must have a comparatively slow rotational movement, and while a variety of means may be provided to insure a proper rotation of the valve, whether connected to and actuated by the crank-shaft or otherwise, in'the drawings is illustrated an arrangement of valveoperating gears which is simpleand effective, and represents a gear-wheel which is affixed, as by bolts, on a boss 62 on the inner side of the disk-wall cZ,inwardly through and beyond which gear the valve-spindle loosely passes.

It will be noticed that the crank-pin 63 of the crank arm or disk 64 (to which pin the feet of the pitman-rods 65 for the cylinderpistons are attached) is extended forwardly beyond the place of engagement therewith of the said pitman-rods and carries loosely thereon a sleeve which comprises as a single part the two gears h andj, the one h meshing with the said fixed gear 60. The pitch-line of the said gear h is such in relation to the axis of revolution of the crank-pin that as said gear h is carried around on the crank-pin there is always a meshing between its teeth and those of the said fixed gear 60, and of course as the crank-pin revolves the double gear h j, carried thereon, is also rotated as it revolves, and if the diameters of said engaging gear-wheels h 60 are equal as the crank-pinmakes one revolution the gear h, and also the other gear j, makes one rotation. Onthe inner extremity of the valve-spindle is fixed a gear Z of slightly larger diameter than the gear j or those h and 60, and to mesh therewith the gear j of the sleeve must be smaller even than the said gears h or 60. ore the loose gear j on the crank-pin of the same diameter as the one Z on the valve it might rotate around said gear Z, the same being, as it were, a fixture; but as the loose crank-gearj is of a somewhat smaller diameter than the gear Z, in making a revolution around said gear it necessitates the turning of said gear a fraction of a rotation, such fraction being as to the whole of a rotation as the difference between the diameter of the gears is to the whole of the diameter of one of the gears, and therefore under the running of the motor several revolutions of the crank shaft and pin only insure but one rotation of the valve.

The entrance of the motor-fluid to the pressure-chamber of the motor may be controlled in any way desired, one way being to provide a suitable valve in the pipe which conveys the said fluid to the pressure-chamber and to merely open and close the valve when desired to start and stop the engine.

WVhat I claim as my invention is- 1. In a multiple-cylinder motor, the combination, with a motor-head having a series of cylinder-ports in circular arrangement, of a valve mounted for rotation and to lie against the part of the motorhead comprising said cylinder-ports provided with a series of pressure and exhaust ports arranged in a circle corresponding to that comprising the cylinder-ports, the ports of the pressure and exhaust series alternating with each other and the ports of each series being in number unequal to the number of cylinder-ports, all so arranged that at any instant that pressure is admitted to some of the cylinder-ports through a portion of the pressure-ports of the valve, which are at one side of the port-circle, a portion of the exhaust-ports are over cylinderports at the opposite side of said circle, for the purpose set forth.

2. A valve for a multiple-cylinder motor, consisting of a body of general cylindrical form having a closing end wall provided with a series of ports circularly arranged in said end wall and extending through same and opening to the exterior of said body at the rear of said end wall, and another series of ports arranged in the same circle as said first-mentioned series of ports, but relatively intermediate thereof,,and extending through said end wall and communicating with the interior of said valve body, substantially as described.

3. In a multiple-cylinder motor, the combination, with a motor-head comprising a valvebox having a closed end Wall, in which is provided a series of cylinder-ports in circular arrangement, and a pressure and exhaust chamber 30 and 31, substantially as shown, of a valve mounted for rotation in said valve-box and having a closing end wall extended in the outlying and surrounding flange, adapted to lie in advance of the said pressure-chamber, said flanged portion of the wall being provided with a series of pressure-ports circularly arranged and extending through same and communicating with said pressure-chamber, and a series of exhaust-ports arranged in the same circle as said pressure-ports, but relatively intermediate thereof, and extending to the interior of said valve-body, which in turn communicates with the exhaust-chamber, substantially as described.

ICC

IIO

a series of pressure and exhaust ports arranged in a circle corresponding to that of the cylinder-ports, the ports of the pressure and exhaust series alternating with each other and the ports in each series being in number unequal to the number of the cylinder-ports, for the purpose set forth, and a motion-reducing mechanism connecting said crank-shaft and said valve, whereby on a given rotation of said shaft a much slower rotation will be imparted to the valve, substantially as described.

5. In a multiple-cylinder motor comprising the circularly-arranged cylinder-ports, the crank-shaft, and crank-pin, and the valve having pressure and exhaust ports in number and arrangement substantially as and for the purpose described and provided with the spindle extended into proximity to said crank-pin and having fixed thereon a gear I, a two-part gear h j, rotatable on the revoluble crank-pin, the gear partj meshing with the valve-gearl and having a diameter unequal thereto, and a gear fixed on the motor-head, with which the other gear part h on its rex olution with the crank-pin has an engagement, whereby the two-part gear is rotated, for the purpose set forth.

ELIJAH B. BENHAM. Vitnesses:

WM. S. BELLoWs, J. D. GARFIELD. 

